NWP

The  Netherlands Water Partnership (NWP) is an independent body set up by the Dutch private and public sectors in the Netherlands to act as a national coordination and information centre for water-related issues abroad. The principal aims of the NWP are to harmonise the activities and initiatives of the Dutch water sector abroad and to promote Dutch expertise in water worldwide.

The NWP is the channel through which government bodies, NGOs, knowledge institutes and private organisations in the water sector share information on their activities and services.

The NWP has 135 members: 71 private sector companies, 24 public authorities, 19 knowledge institutes, 14 NGOs and 7 water supply companies.

European Water Policy

The  European Water Framework Directive (WFD) is intended to improve the quality of ground and surface water in Europe. The idea is to tackle the water problems of each (international) catchment area. The Netherlands is in the catchment areas of the Rhine, Meuse, Scheldt and Eems.

The WFD entered into force on 22 December 2000. 'Framework Directive' means that the general principles are laid down, but the specific details must still be fleshed out by the individual Member States. Dutch water policy is based on more or less the same principles as the WFD. The WFD requires the recording of the current situation in 2004, the creation of catchment area management plans (including objectives and programmes of measures) by 2009 and the realisation of the objectives by 2015. Under certain circumstances the deadlines can be extended to 2027.

Water Support Programs

ORET

The Dutch government stimulates the export of investment goods and services to developing countries by means of the  ORET programme. The ORET programme is conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers and Ecorys. ORET supports Dutch businesses in developing countries en stimultes the investment climate in developing countries, through investments in infrastructure.

Partners for Water

“ Partners for Water” is a programme that aims to strengthen the international position of the Dutch water sector by uniting forces (private sector, public sector, non-profit sector and knowledge institutes). 

Public private cooperation can give a powerful impulse to the water sector by developing innovative solutions for the world's water problems. 

The programme runs from 2005 to 2009 and consists of the following components:

• Policy alignment between departments of the Dutch government;
• Cooperation between government, companies, knowledge institutes and NGOs through network meetings and information exchange;
• Fund for proposals aimed at water cooperation projects abroad.